2024 was a year in Formula One where the referees of the sport took a higher profile than usual. Of course this was eclipsed by the last lap of the last race drama in 2021 but in general paddock talk of how the various decisions were being made made last year was a frequent.
A number of incidents between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, where both were punished on different occasions, exposed the secretive ‘F1 driver guide lines’ issued to the stewards each year by the FIA.
Max clearly understood the rule which defined who ‘owned’ the corner as was evident in Austin, Texas. There despite having been passed by Norris, his late dash for the apex of the corner in fact earned him the right to run the McLaren driver off the circuit.
Sainz joins Russell at GPDA
There was much talk from the drivers that they needed a closer collaboration with the FIA on how these matters were judged, but as yet there appears to be no official comment on whether any aspects of the guidelines has changed.
What has changed is Mohammed Be Sulayem has been riding his hobby horse and the punishments for F1 drivers swearing has been upped. The first time a driver is sanctioned for bad language by the stewards he will receive a €40,000 fine which will be doubled for the second time. Should this happen on a third occasion during the season the fine will increase to €120,000 and the driver will receive a whopping one month ban.
Carlos Sainz has now been appointed as a director of the drivers’ association, the GPDA. He replaces Sebastian Vettel who retired from F1 two years ago, something George Russell the other driver director appreciates.
“It’s great to have Carlos as part of the GPDA,” Russell told assembled media in Bahrain. “Obviously, [he is] a great driver, a really smart, wise individual – and has been around for a long time.”
FIA lack of punishment for swearing
The Mercedes man noted before the retirement of Vettel, there were two current F1 drivers who could speak on the behalf of the collective, but for the past two years this has been left to Russell.
“So I’m happy that the other questions can be shared out a little bit more evenly between me and another driver. But I think, for all of us as 20, we’re probably more united than ever, especially with everything that’s going on off track, and to have Carlos as one of the senior voices as well, I think is a great addition.” George Russell concluded.
It appears that a resolution over the bad language matter is in sight. At the test in Bahrain George Russell himself swore during a live interview with Sky F1 during the rain break on day one. Max Verstappen was seen to flip the bird as he passed the Williams garage, yet nether were sanctioned.
The reason offered is that the sanctions from the FIA stewards for swearing will only be enforced when it happens during an FIA approved media event. This means the drivers will not be punished for ‘in the heat of the moment’ cockpit transgressions, nor in the more informal media work they do away from the FIA.
Sainz explains why Williams so fast
Herbert removed as steward for ‘conflict of interest’
Various stewarding decisions saw calls from certain quarters in the paddock for a panel of full time professional stewards, as former racing driver Johnny Herbert found himself at the heart of a controversy with Max Verstappen.
Having penalised Max at the Mexican Grand Prix under the ‘driving standards code’, the stewards again came under criticism from the Red Bull camp. Johnny Herbert used his column for an online betting organisation to comment on the matter, something which the Verstappen’s claimed was a conflict of interest.
Herbert has been removed from his stewarding duties for 2025, but now the FIA have decided to expand the size of the stewarding panel at six of the ‘heavy duty’ weekends for the stewards which includes the opening weekend in Australia.
The panel will grow from three to four people and is covered by changes in article 15.1 of the 2025 F1 sporting regulations. The panels have previously included an ex-racer and a member nominated by the host associations sporting authority.
F1 race steward panel expanded
Now there will be “a minimum of three and a maximum of four stewards, one of whom will be appointed chairman” will be appointed each race from the holders of an FIA Super Licence. So in Australia, China, Canada, Singapore, Mexico and Brazil this year the FIA will deliver the four-stewards panel, with the other 18 races using the standard three-person panels.
Now the extra member of the panel will perform initial reviews which place a matter for the full panel “under investigation” and should the matter go to a later meeting with a driver, they will collect the required evidence.
The full four person panel will make the final decision, but a chairmen is appointed at each race weekend in order to break a deadlock.
The topic of full time stewarding in F1 raised its head towards the end of last season rather than the continued use of unpaid volunteers (who are in fact given generous expenses). FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the issue directly stating, “It’s very nice talk, but when they say professional, and they want professional, they don’t want to pay for it. That is so obvious.
Full time F1 stewards?
“They talk and then they say, ‘where are you putting the money? Why we don’t do this?’ But I don’t say, ‘oh, sorry, what about you?’ The drivers are getting over $100 million (collectively). Do I ask where they spend it? No, it’s up to them. It’s their right.”
Of course this is mere deflection given the incremental cost to the FIA for a team of five full, time rotating expert stewards, would see a minuscule increase in their annual budget.
McLaren boss Zak brown put the cat amongst the pigeons when he claimed at the annual event held by Autosport in January that he would be “happy if McLaren and all the racing teams contribute” as “it’s so important for the sport.”
Yet as far the president of the FIA does not appear to be exploring Brown’s offer which of course is nothing to do with the fact that each host association gets to ‘honour’ one of its biggest donors, by offering them the role for a weekend as the national associations steward.
Alonso points finger at Stroll for lack of speed
Hamilton grim hopes as Mercedes revel in their progress
There was always going to be a winner and a loser in the Formula One high profile Mercedes/Lewis Hamilton divorce and based on the performance of Ferrari over the closing races of 2024, it appeared the seven times world champion would be on the right side of his decision to leave for Italy.
Yet the data in pre-season testing may be a worrying read for Lewis Hamilton as data analysis shows Ferrari are not where they were towards the end of last year. McLaren are universally accepted as having the quickest car in race trim as well as the most compliant for their drivers.
Whilst the papaya liveried cars didn’t top the time sheets in qualification one lap simulations, their race pace was mighty and put the rest of the field in the shade. Lando Norris will be feeling more confident than ever that this is his year to become F1 drivers champion, although the Red Bull in the hands of Max Verstappen appears to be the closest rival to McLaren…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
